Revisioning Latin American Christian Theology

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Theologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 9513

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Pentecostal Theological Seminary, 900 Walker St. NE Cleveland, TN 37312, USA
Interests: Pentecostal Theology and Spirituality; religion and culture; Latin American Theology; Latino/a; Contextual Theologies, Lived Christianity

E-Mail Website
Assistant Guest Editor
Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Interests: public theology; religion and politics; contextual theologies; ethnicity; indigenous; decolonization; Latin America Theology.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Latin American Christian theology—whether biblical, historical, systematic, practical, missional, or contextual—is as varied as the cultural tapestry that weaves the region. For example, it is expressed, embodied, and lived in many languages, spiritualities, and geographies. Moreover, the everchanging economic and political landscape in many Latin American countries has exacerbated the migrant reality, and adds new cultural dynamics. As a result of this, Christian theology within Latin America needs to be continually revised.       

Although some studies have responded to this call, there is still space for new and creative research focused on multi-cultural dynamics and spirituality, faith and race, indigenous expressions of Christianity, missions, and contextual theology, to mention a few. Accordingly, an encompassing question for this Issue could be the following: “In what ways is the present context in Latin America reshaping Latin American Christian Theology?”.

This Special Issue on Latin American Christian Theology welcomes interdisciplinary contributions that seek to propose new approaches in light of the “new realities” shaping Latin American as a region, or any specific country in particular. By looking to the past, describing the present, and proposing a way forward, this Issue will contribute to a new body of knowledge within global Christianity in general, and Latin American studies in particular.

Dr. Wilmer Estrada-Carrasquillo
Guest Editor
Ms. Yenny Delgado-Qullaw
Assistant Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Latin America Christianity
  • multi-cultural dynamics
  • faith and ethnicity
  • indigenous expressions of Christianity
  • contextual theology and hermeneutics
  • public theology and ethics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 321 KiB  
Article
Pandemic Religion in Brazil—Temptation and Responsibility
by Rudolf von Sinner and Jefferson Zeferino
Religions 2022, 13(1), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13010058 - 7 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2787
Abstract
Religious incidence in Brazilian public space is a widespread fact that has been gaining new visibility in pandemic times. Responsibility in liminal situations represents specific theological hermeneutics, as well as what matters for the respective religious agents. Thus, based on a bibliographical review [...] Read more.
Religious incidence in Brazilian public space is a widespread fact that has been gaining new visibility in pandemic times. Responsibility in liminal situations represents specific theological hermeneutics, as well as what matters for the respective religious agents. Thus, based on a bibliographical review connected to an analysis of websites, this article aims to reflect on the current Brazilian context, the challenges to doing theology in Brazil today and points to some possible responses. “Pandemic religion”, as we call it, is the synthesis of theologies and religious practices that legitimise irresponsible approaches to life, vulnerabilising the other instead of assuming care-based ethics. Firstly, we briefly describe current theological trends, followed by an analysis of the Brazilian scenario by way of three representative scenes of public religious incidence that reflect a lack of responsibility in view of the pandemic challenges caused by COVID-19. Subsequently, we look back into history for alternative responses to public health crises that required theological positioning. In a Brazilian perspective of a public theology, we finally reflect on a responsible ethics that may help respond to the current challenges, particularly for pandemic religion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revisioning Latin American Christian Theology)
13 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
Theology in Latin American Context: A Look at Soteriology
by Daniel Orlando Álvarez and Wilmer Estrada-Carrasquillo
Religions 2021, 12(10), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12100839 - 8 Oct 2021
Viewed by 2896
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to describe a contextual theology in Latin America in dialogue with its cultures, histories, and peoples. This contextual theology must build from a Latin American context. For this reason, dialogue begins with mestizaje to begin to describe [...] Read more.
The purpose of this article is to describe a contextual theology in Latin America in dialogue with its cultures, histories, and peoples. This contextual theology must build from a Latin American context. For this reason, dialogue begins with mestizaje to begin to describe some of the cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious experiences giving shape to Latin America. The article specifically looks at the intersection and confluence of African, Amerindian, and European origins of Latin American peoples and explores how his could inform theological thought. The essay also considers Liberation Theology as an important theological stream. Throughout this essay, Pentecostalism becomes a case study by which an emerging theology from this tradition can be faithful to both its tradition and the cultures in context. It becomes evident that an emerging Latin American theology is profoundly intersectional, containing issues of race, culture, ethnicity, and popular religions. Theologians must walk through contested spaces. This dialogue requires patience, listening, compassion, and understanding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revisioning Latin American Christian Theology)
13 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
Theologians as Cultural Brokers: Transatlantic Translation of Ideas during the Emergence of Liberation Theology
by Antje Schnoor
Religions 2021, 12(6), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12060406 - 1 Jun 2021
Viewed by 2339
Abstract
The paper sheds light on the transatlantic theological discourse during the emergence of liberation theology. It conceptualizes this discourse as a transatlantic communication process reframing it as a transfer and translation of ideas and concepts. Starting from this perspective, I prove the assumption [...] Read more.
The paper sheds light on the transatlantic theological discourse during the emergence of liberation theology. It conceptualizes this discourse as a transatlantic communication process reframing it as a transfer and translation of ideas and concepts. Starting from this perspective, I prove the assumption that the transatlantic theological discourse reflected a Latin American claim to academic equity and I show that European reactions to liberation theology implied answers to that claim. As the focus is on the relationship between Latin America and Europe, the article illustrates the significant role of relationships marked by different forms of dependency (economic, political, intellectual) in the development of liberation theology. Furthermore, the paper argues that for a deeper understanding, it is misleading to speak about Latin American theologians on the one hand and European theologians on the other hand, as if it was about clear-cut groups with homogenous motivations, positions, and goals. On the contrary, there were advocates and opponents of liberation theology on both sides of the Atlantic who moreover formed transatlantic alliances. The paper calls those theologians cultural brokers, since they communicated and mediated across the Atlantic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revisioning Latin American Christian Theology)
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